A Comparison of Photosharing Websites

Those who have decided to post their digital photos online realize their photo sharing site options are overwhelming. You can narrow your choices by determining how you will be using the photos, but many of the sites feature the same components. In other cases, sites may free or require paid subscriptions. That alone may narrow your choices to a smaller field. However, if you are open to either paying or using a free service, and you are searching for the best option to suit your needs, consider a few of the pros and cons of five of the most popular photo sharing sites.

Flickr

This is arguably the most popular of the photo sharing options. Users are able to link from other sites, which means it is easy to use when creating blog entries or other online content. Photos can be posted in various sizes which is a popular feature among those with little interest in printing their photos. Photos can be tagged and organized into albums, but this is a common feature among most of the sites. It is also possible to assign license to your photos. This means you can allow others to link to the photos or use them in their online content. While this garners attention for your work, it is not a great idea for those who want to sell their images.

Flickr offers a free membership which allows for the upload of 200 photos. For a charge of $24.95 per year, users are entitled to 2 GB of space. This gives you unlimited photo uploads, as long as you respect the 2 GB limit. Some users complain because Flickr does not allow for batch downloading. The tags and titles you create for the photos will not be included with the download. There is also no way to control the content of your home page. The site chooses default images and users have no control over changing those. However, in general, Flickr users are happy with the features and believe it is easy to use.

Snapfish

Snapfish is a fun online photo sharing program whose most likable feature is the ability for users to put their images on items. You can make mugs, cards, calendars and plenty of other personalized items with this site. Images can also be sent to Walgreens and prints can be picked up from their photo developing department at your convenience. This site works really well for those who place a high value on printing their images.

Users site problems like slow upload times, especially when creating albums and items. Snapfish places a high priority on selling prints, so be prepared to be guided in this direction in regard to most of its features. It is tough to see large prints online for this specific reason. Users also reported frequent problems with customer service.

Photobucket

Photobucket is a simple photo sharing site that offers the option of posting private or public prints. The interface is straightforward and offers easy integration with social media sites. Some users reported problems with the customer service of Photobucket such as not being able to cancel their account. Other users also do not believe the site is user friendly.

Jalbum

Frequent users of photo sharing sites rave about this one. It is free and easy to learn, and it runs well on both PC and Mac. The site features the usual options like albums, titles,and tagging, as well as automatic watermarking. The only complaint of users seems to be the inability to create detailed customization without knowledge of HTML coding.

Kodak Photoshare

Relying on its brand name to grow its popularity, this site is primarily for those who want to open their digital photo album for family and friends to download prints. It is free to join, works fast, and provides high quality Kodak prints and gifts. Some editing features are available. A disadvantage of the site is that you can only get Kodak prints, which means if you are hoping for a less expensive quality, you are out of luck. The site is also not compatible with blog and website building.

Photo sharing has become a popular feature offered by a variety of companies on the Internet. If you are thinking about uploading images online, browse your options before determining what will work best for you.